Update: Roath Brook Flood Defence Scheme

November 30, 2018

I have today received an update from Natural Resources Wales regarding their works on the flood defences at Roath Brook – you can read their update below:

Since the last update, Natural Resources Wales have undertaken some further landscaping and shrub planting in the parks, with the last of the tree planting planned before Christmas. This tree planting includes the remaining trees that were not planted last spring, as well as replacing some of the previously planted trees, that had failed to establish or were not of acceptable quality. NRW are committed to ensuring all the trees planted as part of the scheme establish and become assets to the Parks Gardens. NRW will monitor and tend to the trees over the next few years to ensure this is the case.

In the next couple of weeks, pupils from three local primary schools will be helping NRW and Cardiff Council plant 750 daffodil bulbs in the parks. This is in addition to over 10,000 bulbs already planted as part of the landscaping. The schoolchildren will also go for a guided walk around the scheme and have the opportunity to ask any questions.

NRW would also like to give you an update on the ongoing pause of the final stage of the scheme (the works in Roath Brook Gardens and Roath Mill Gardens known as Phase 3). The Roath Brook Trees campaign group is currently reviewing the options appraisal, following their independent expert’s review of the hydrology and flood flows. NRW have recently received their report commenting on our original options appraisal so are now reviewing this to discuss with them further. NRW are also looking to arrange meetings with Cardiff Council and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water to discuss the options of using Roath Park lake and Llanishen / Lisvane Reservoirs to store flood water upstream respectively . These flood storage options were investigated and discounted during our original appraisal, but NRW are open to further discussion and will continue working with the campaign group to find a way forward during the pause.

You may also be aware that the National Assembly for Wales’ Petitions Committee is considering a petition by the campaign group to “stop work at Roath Mill and Roath Brook Gardens and consider the other viable options available to mitigate the perceived flood risk to this area”. The campaign group gave evidence to the Committee on 13 November (link to the video broadcast on Senedd TV), and NRW gave evidence on 27 November.